The monkeypox vaccine may run out in parts of the UK before more are delivered - which could see these areas without jabs for three to four weeks.
It was reported last week that the vaccine is in short supply globally, due it being manufactured by a single company.
Some 100,000 doses ordered by the UK government are scheduled to be delivered next month, while some 3,000 doses have been distributed to health boards in Scotland.
Now, Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has said vaccines to fight monkeypox “may run out” in some areas before more doses arrive in a few weeks’ time, reports Wales Online.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: “There may be a short period, probably of three or four weeks, where vaccines may run out in some areas.
"And in those cases we are ensuring that the individuals who have come forward are checked and will be invited again, so they just need to ensure that their names are available. And as soon as the vaccine’s in we will get it into people’s arms.”
The UK initially had a consignment of 50,000 vaccines – enough to vaccinate 25,000 people – and 150,000 doses have been ordered in total, which is “the maximum available”, Dame Jenny said.
Officials previously estimated that some 40,000 people in at-risk groups would require the jab, but this may have been an “under-estimate”, she added.
There are “early signs” that the monkeypox outbreak in the UK has “plateaued” as Dame Jenny told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that cases are decreasing.
“We have some early signs, we hope – always remaining vigilant and cautious – that the outbreak in this country is actually plateaued and over a four-week period has started to steadily decrease.
“A couple of weeks ago it was 35 cases a day, now it’s around 20 cases a day. So we’re really grateful to both those individuals at high risk and of course our sexual health clinics particularly for providing the vaccination.”
There have been 2,859 cases of the illness recorded in the UK, with the majority being transmitted between gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with other men.
The median age of those infected is 37 while 73% of cases in England are among London residents. A small number of cases have been recorded among females but 99% of those infected have been male.
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